Download Ride the Rock Cycle

Illinois State Museum Geology Online – http://geologyonline.museum.state.il.us
Ride the Rock Cycle
Grade Level: 5 – 6
Purpose: To teach students that the rock cycle, like the water cycle, has various
stages and does not necessarily move linearly through those stages.
Suggested Goals: Students will gain an understanding of how a rock can move
through the different stages of the rock cycle.
Targeted Objectives: As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Describe the rock cycle
2. Identify the various stages of the rock cycle
Background: A useful aid in visualizing the rock cycle is shown above. The three
major rock types, igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary, are shown. As you see,
each may form at the expense of another if it is forced out of equilibrium with its physical
or climatic environment by either internal or surficial forces.
Magma is molten rock. Igneous rocks form when magma solidifies. If the magma is
brought to the surface by a volcanic eruption, it may solidify into an extrusive igneous
rock. Magma may also solidify very slowly beneath the surface. The resulting intrusive
igneous rock may be exposed later after uplift and erosion remove the overlying rock.
The igneous rock, being out of equilibrium, may then undergo weathering and erosion,
Illinois State Museum Geology Online – http://geologyonline.museum.state.il.us
and the debris produced is transported and ultimately deposited (usually on a sea floor)
as sediment. If the unconsolidated sediment becomes lithified (cemented or otherwise
consolidated into rock), it becomes a sedimentary rock. As the rock is buried the
additional layers of sediment and sedimentary rock, heat and pressure increase.
Tectonic forces may also increase the temperature and pressure. If the temperature and
pressure become high enough, usually at depths greater than several kilometers below
the surface, the original sedimentary rock is no longer in equilibrium and recrystallizes.
The new rock that forms is called a metamorphic rock. If the temperature gets very high
the rock melts and becomes magma again, completing the cycle.
The cycle can be repeated, as implied by the arrows. However, there is no reason to
expect all rocks to go through each step in the cycle. For instance, sedimentary rocks
might be uplifted and exposed to weathering, creating new sediment.
Materials/Preparation: Create the dice and posters for the different stations of the
rock cycle game. [See attached patterns.]
Procedure:
Part I: Play the Rock cycle game. Set up your classroom with 8 areas at which a
change in the rock cycle occurs. Each student starts at one area. At each area is a die
that the student should role to determine what path they should take. It is possible for
the student to remain at the same station for a long time. To make the game more
interesting, my rule is that you can only stay at one station for 3 turns. Then you must
go to another station. While at each station and while moving to the different stations,
students must record what is happening on their journey chart. [See attached log.] After
the game is over they will have a record of what happened.
Part II: Cartoons
After their journey is complete, students must create a cartoon of how their adventures
in the rock cycle occurred. Points are given for use of correct terms. Each cartoon
page should be divided so there are 12 boxes—room for 12 drawings. Students should
turn in their adventure log and cartoon together so you can see what has occurred in
their adventure.
Questions: What happened while you were on the rock cycle?
Extensions: Have students create a story or a travel brochure about their time on the
rock cycle.
Assessment: Evaluate the students’ journey logs and cartoons.
Lesson Specifics:
Skills: Students will need to use observation, inference, data collection skills to
complete the activity.
Duration: 1 day
Illinois State Museum Geology Online – http://geologyonline.museum.state.il.us
Group size: Project should be completed individually
Setting: Classroom
Illinois State Board of Education Goals and Standards:
12.E.3b: Describe interactions between solid earth, oceans, atmosphere and
organisms that have resulted in ongoing changes of Earth.
17.B.3a: Explain how physical processes including climate, plate tectonics, erosion,
soil formation, water cycle, and circulation patterns in the ocean shape
patterns in the environment and influence availability and quality of natural
resources.
Web Resources:
ISM Geology Online Rock Cycle
http://geologyonline.museum.state.il.us
Earth and Ocean Sciences Department of the University of British Columbia.
Introduction to Petrology; Rock Cycle
http://www.science.ubc.ca/~geol202/rock_cycle/rockcycle.html
Rock Cycle Burgess Shale Project
http://www.scienceweb.org/burgess/geology/cycle1.html
Rock Cycle Song
http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/curriculum/MISmart/ocean/rocksong.htm
Rock Cycle
http://www.washington.edu/uwired/outreach/teched/projects/web/rockteam/WebSite/roc
kcycle.htm.htm
Journey on the Rock Cycle
Name __________________________
This sheet is to help you write about your experiences as a rock during your
journey on the rock cycle. You will need to describe your adventures at each spot and
tell about what kind of rock you feel that you were.
(1) I began my adventure at ________________________.
(2) The first thing that happened was _____________________________________________,
then I went to _________________________.
(3) The next thing that happened was _________________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(4) The next thing that happened was _________________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(5) The next thing that happened was _________________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(6) The next thing that happened was _________________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(7) The next thing that happened was _________________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(8) The next thing that happened was _________________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(9) The next thing that happened was _________________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(2) The next thing that happened was _________________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(10) The next thing that happened was _______________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(11) The next thing that happened was _______________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
(12) The next thing that happened was _______________________________________________,
then I went to _____________________________________________________.
Challenge
Create a comic strip story of your experiences from the journey through the rock cycle!
_____________________________________
by ____________________________
Tectonic plates
move
Go to volcano
Station:
Earth’s Interior
Magma is
forced up
Pressure occurs
More layers
Pressure
occurs
Pressure
occurs
Go to volcano
Remain here
Remain here
Remain here
Tectonic plates
push upward
Go to
mountains
Pressure
occurs
Station:
Soil
Go to earth’s
interior
Pressure
occurs
Rocks break
down
Go to earth’s
interior
Remain here
Journey Through the Rock Cycle
Cut out each die pattern and the signs for each
station. Assemble dice by folding along lines
and taping the edges together.
Pressure
occurs
Go to earth’s
interior
Rocks break
down
Remain here
Sediment being
formed
Remain here
As the students travel through the rock cycle,
they must roll the die at the station and follow
the written directions.
S. Baker 2001
Flood water
causes
redeposit of silt
to flood plain
Station:
River
Go to soil
Sediments
form
Go to soil
Water washes
away layers
Go to
mountains
Sediments
Silt washed into
under
pressure
ocean
Go to ocean
Go to earth’s
interior
Ice melts
carrying rocks
Go to river
Sand washes
up onto shore
Station:
Ocean
Ocean floor
being
subducted
Go to earth’s
interior
Go to soil
Sand washes
up onto shore
Dust
evaporates
with water
Ocean floor
being
subducted
Go to soil
Go to clouds
Go to earth’s
interior
Sand washes
up onto shore
Go to soil
S. Baker 2001
Rain
Station:
Clouds
Go to ocean
Snow
Rain
Snow
Rain
Go to
mountains
Go to
soil
Go to
mountains
Go to
soil
Rain
Go to ocean
Wind erosion
occurs
Station:
Mountains
Go to soil
Wind erosion
occurs
Ice melts
carrying rocks
Go to soil
Go to river
Glacier or
avalanche
occurs
Ice melts
carrying rocks
Go to river
Go to ocean
Wind erosion
occurs
Go to soil
S. Baker 2001
Volcano erupts
spewing forth
lava
Station:
Volcano
Go to mountain
Tectonic plates
push upwards
Magma
crystallizes
Go to
mountains
Remain here
Volcanic ash
and dust are
pushed into
atmosphere
Crystallized
magma pushes
up to surface
Go to clouds
Go to soil
Magma flows
into the ocean
Go to ocean
S. Baker 2001